After embarking on this journey known as Steps to Knowledge, I quickly became aware that my need for Knowledge is indeed great. Knowledge, as it is presented in these Steps, resounds like a distant but clear bell somewhere deep inside, speaking down the Ancient Corridors of my mind, beckoning me to reclaim it, for it is the center of my being and my presence in the world.

This awareness did not come in one fell swoop, mind you, and I am still plumbing its depths, but as early as the first week of Steps, I was certain beyond the shadow of a doubt that my need for true Knowledge is great.

Step 7 of Steps to Knowledge offers a review of the first six steps, suggesting that I look at each step covered so far and also consider the entire sequence of the steps together. This review does not require that I have any conclusions, but it does require that I realize the extent to which I need true Knowledge.

This Step prompted me not only to look back over the Steps covered so far, but to look back over my entire life so far and engage in some deep thinking about what motivates me, what moves me to make one decision and not another.

I wrote in my notes for this review: upon reflecting on my life up to this point, I realize that I got to where I am today not through analysis and conditioning, but through going with my gut feeling, as though I were being guided by something deeper, something more mysterious. If I had allowed my analytic mind to make the decisions, I would not be where I am today, since it really defies all logic.

I can say “I wanted to do what I did because I thought it was the right thing, it suited my preferences,” but perhaps what was really happening was I needed to do what I did because Knowledge was prompting me. I was unwittingly following its guidance without even being consciously aware of it. In other words, if I substitute “I want” for “I need” in many situations, it puts things in a very different perspective. And now I am thinking that perhaps it is in fact Knowledge that has brought me to where I am today and not my personal beliefs and preferences.

How great is my need for true Knowledge?

My need for true Knowledge is great. This is very evident to me now, it is evident beyond the shadow of a doubt. It has brought me to where I am today, and it is what spurs me on to reach an even higher vantage point in the future.

I took a brief vacation from blogging about Steps to Knowledge after the lengthy Step 49 review of the first 48 steps. But I am now refreshed and ready to resume the ascent. Step 50 is “Today I will be with Knowledge.” What have we been told about Knowledge so far? We have been told, among other things…

After all the amazing things that have been said about Knowledge, to say that I can be with Knowledge is another amazing thing. Can that really be so? There seems to be some awareness that I would wonder things like this, as the step instructs “Do not argue with yourself about the reality of your pursuit, for that is wasteful and meaningless.”

I still struggled with the idea of practicing feeling something when I did this step. It helped when they said “relax and be present.” I could do that.

Step 49 of Steps to Knowledge, like the other Steps evenly divisible by 7, is a review. But it is a review of the all of the Steps done so far. Steps 1 through 6 will therefore be reviewed three times, as they were reviewed in Step 7, Step 14, and Step 49. All the other steps will be reviewed twice, as they were reviewed in their own review step, and in Step 49.

This step contains the first instance of the word “Congratulations” in Steps to Knowledge. I don’t consider this a word of idle flattery. I say anyone who has arrived at this point has demonstrated some openness of mind and some resolve.

The current plan is to write a series of posts, sharing what I wrote when I did the Step 49 Review, seven posts at a time, and adding any additional comment if needed.

Step 1 – I am without Knowledge now – “Nothing particularly controversial, although I have no idea what they mean by ‘Ancient Home.’ Maybe the Mormons were right all along. As I have gone along, Knowledge has gotten bigger, greater, wiser.” The Mormons speak of a premortal existence, and their missionaries show a picture of a beautiful parklike place when they speak of it.

Step 2 – Knowledge is with me. Where am I? – “Where am I? ‘Flopping about on the surface of my mind, imagining that’s all there is.’ I want Knowledge to make me non-autistic, but Knowledge seems to have other plans.” I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism, in 2006.

Step 3 – What do I really know? – “I seem to recall thinking there were some things I knew at the time, but now I’m not so sure if I know anything.”

Step 4 – I want what I think I know – “I think I know that the world needs a hero, and that I want to be one.” On further review, maybe heroic ambitions are part of the problem.

Step 5 – I believe what I want to believe – “I recall thinking when I did this step ‘I believe what I want to believe in order to survive, reproduce, have power, have pleasure, and avoid responsibility.’ I am screwed, humanity is screwed, living in a world of delusion.”

Step 6 – I have a true foundation in the world – “Steps bounce back and forth between confessions of the current state of bewilderment, and the alternative good news. Telling me that I haven’t come to the world empty-handed was/is a great consolation, as I have been a problem for the past 30 years.” Ok, ok, that’s definitely overdramatizing things. I’ve had many happy moments, but I’ve also had many issues and disappointments. Some of them might have been because my unknown-at-the-time autistic tendencies, and some of them might have been because of prosaic poor choices.

Step 7 – Review – “Whatever I think Knowledge is, that ain’t it. Furthermore, what I think I know is part of the problem. I feel the way I think, I think the way I believe, and any correspondence between what I believe and what is so is purely coincidental.”

“Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, where have you been, my darling young one?
I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I’ve walked and I’ve crawled on six crooked highways
I’ve stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I’ve been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard
And it’s a hard, and it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a hard
And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall”

Debriefing and reviewing seem to be an integral part of the learning experience. I’m recalling the 72-member advance team that Jesus deployed in the 10th chapter of Luke’s gospel. The debriefing session took place in Luke 10:17-24. But the point I’m approaching is that Step 7 of Steps to Knowledge is a review of the first six steps, both individually and as a sequence. I consider this to be the important sentence in this step:

“It is very important at this juncture that you not require that you have any conclusions, but that you ask questions and realize the extent to which you need true Knowledge.”

It did not occur to me to make such a word cloud when I did this Step. I see it saying, “If you wish to approach Knowledge, you must practice, you must think, you must question your assumptions.”

Source Documents

God Has Spoken Again
God is speaking to humanity anew, proclaiming a warning, a blessing and a preparation for a new world reality.

The One God
A book of revelation that provides a new understanding of the nature and reality of God and God’s Plan and Purpose in the world and in the Greater Community of life in the universe.

The New Messenger
A book of revelation regarding the origin, lineage and mission of the Messengers of God who, at different times in human history, have entered the world to receive and present New Revelations for humanity.

Relationships and Higher Purpose
Taking you beyond the normal parameters of human relationships to a deeper experience of union, purpose and meaning with those individuals with whom you share a greater destiny in life.

Steps to Knowledge
Taking you on the journey of discovering Knowledge, the mysterious source of your inner power and authority, given to you by God to guide and to protect you.

Living the Way of Knowledge
The New Message Teaching on how to bring the grace, the guidance and the power of Knowledge into the Four Pillars of your life: The Pillar of Relationships, The Pillar of Work, The Pillar of Health and The Pillar of Spiritual Development.

The Great Waves of Change
A prophecy of the difficult times ahead and the steps you can take to navigate an increasingly turbulent and uncertain future.

How Posts Are Organized – Как организуются сообщения

2) If a post is tagged with a given tag, it means either a) that post is part of a thread where all the posts in the thread have that tag (like "2012 Encampment" for example), or b) that an out-of-the-ordinary person, place or thing was referenced in the post (like "Boulder" for example)

4) Most of the posts written before August 2014 are related to the book "Steps to Knowledge," but were not tagged as such. A tag of the form "Step #" such as "Step 10" means the post with that tag is related to Step 10 of the 365 steps in Steps to Knowledge.